Welcome to

Experts in finance, law, and science are discussing the pros and cons of drilling off Florida’s coast tonight in Tallahassee.

Florida State University is hosing the Florida Symposium on Offshore Energy which cost 50,000 dollars to bring together. Experts predict Florida will need to double its energy production by 2050. Ian MacDonald, the chairman of the symposium and a professor of oceanography says claims drilling will ruin the state’s tourism industry aren’t entirely true, but either are claims drilling will do no harm.

“Tourism throughout the gulf region has grown steadily. It’s grown steadily in Texas and Louisiana. Coastal tourism is very important in both of those states despite the existence of a very substantial and robust offshore oil industry. So I think the statements that it can be done without any danger or risk are erroneous and the statements that a single oil spill would destroy the tourism economy in Florida are also erroneous,” said MacDonald.

Drilling off Florida’s coast is expected to be one of the main topics during the 2010 legislative session.